Quick answer
IPGeolocation.io - IPGeolocation.io wins for most builders because its free tier is perpetual, needs no card, and is usable beyond evaluation, while ipapi’s free trial is better for a short test but is more limited in scope.
How the free tiers compare
These two products look similar on the surface because both are IP geolocation APIs with a generous free allowance, but the free tiers are built for different jobs. ipapi’s free plan is really a trial: it gives up to 1,000 lookups per day, about 30,000 per month, and the listing explicitly frames it for testing and development use. That makes it fine if you want to validate integration behavior before paying. IPGeolocation.io’s free tier is also capped at 1,000 credits per day, but it is perpetual, has no overages, and is positioned for small projects, which makes it more suitable when you want to keep shipping without immediately upgrading. The paid paths also differ: ipapi jumps from a low-cost flat monthly lookup bundle into larger flat tiers, while IPGeolocation.io starts slightly higher and adds overage pricing and larger step-up plans.
ipapi vs IPGeolocation.io free tier, side by side
| ipapiFTV 41 | IPGeolocation.ioFTV 51 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free daily allowanceBoth cap the free tier at the same daily volume. | 1,000 IP lookups/day | 1,000 API credits/day |
| Approx monthly free volumeThe monthly figure for B is not explicitly provided in the input. | ~30,000 lookups/month | Not stated directly, but the free tier says 1,000 credits/day for life |
| Free tier statusA is framed as evaluation-only; B is perpetual. | Free trial | Free tier |
| Card required on freeBoth inputs explicitly state no credit card required. | No | No |
| Bulk lookup on freeA includes a limitation here; B does not mention bulk on the free tier. | Limited bulk IP lookup capability | Not stated |
| Free plan overagesB explicitly says free overages do not apply. | Not stated | No overages on the free plan |
After you outgrow the free tier
ipapi uses flat monthly lookup bundles after the trial, starting at $15/month for 60,000 lookups and rising through larger fixed tiers. IPGeolocation.io also uses flat monthly plans, but its paid plans are credit-based and add overage charges: Starter begins at $19/month and includes 150,000 credits, then Plus, Pro, Business, and Premium step up in capacity. For small teams, ipapi is cheaper at the first paid step. As usage grows, IPGeolocation.io offers more explicit overage pricing and an Enterprise contact-sales path, while ipapi stays simpler with fixed monthly caps.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | ipapi | IPGeolocation.io |
|---|---|---|
| ~30,000 lookups/moB’s monthly equivalent is not stated in the input, so this is based on the daily cap only. | Free (within trial cap) | Free (within free tier) |
| 60,000 lookups/moA’s first paid tier matches this volume exactly; B’s Starter includes more headroom. | $15/mo | $19/mo |
| 150,000 lookups/moB’s Starter base plan covers 150,000 credits, but the input only states overage pricing, not the exact post-cap monthly total. | $25/mo | $19/mo + overage at $5 per 25K credits after 150,000 |
| 500,000 lookups/moA’s 500K tier and B’s Plus tier are both listed at $49/month, though B is credits-based. | $49/mo | $49/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick ipapi when…
- You need a short free trial to test an integration and do not expect to stay on free for long.
- Your usage is likely to stay around 30,000 lookups per month or less and you want a simple lookup API.
- You want a cheaper first paid step at low volume, since ipapi starts at $15/month for 60,000 lookups.
- You care more about IP lookup and geolocation than broader metadata fields or databases.
- You are fine with a trial-style free tier that is explicitly for testing and development.
Pick IPGeolocation.io when…
- You want a free tier you can keep using for a small project without a built-in expiration.
- You want no credit card required and no overages on the free plan.
- You are building an MVP or small app and want room to stay on free longer before paying.
- You expect to scale into a larger plan with clear credit-based overage options.
- You want access to related APIs and database-oriented offerings in the same vendor family.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, IPGeolocation.io is the better free-tier choice because it is perpetual, card-free, and lets a small project keep running instead of treating free as a short test window. ipapi is the better pick if you mainly want to validate an integration and then move into a cheaper first paid plan. If you expect to pay soon, ipapi starts lower. If you want to stay free as long as possible, IPGeolocation.io is the safer default.
Read the full listings: ipapi and IPGeolocation.io. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.